My Safety Net
by Lila Toretto Barton
Summary: Mike was grateful when he was given the Graceland assignment because it meant running from the man hurting him. This safety doesn't last long as his ex has followed him to Graceland, revealing to not only his new family but his love interest that he was abused. Their reaction is not one he expected but it changes his whole life and it gives him exactly what he needed, a safety net.


**Summary: **Mike was grateful when he was given the Graceland assignment because it meant running from the man hurting him. Unfortunately this safety doesn't last long when his ex follows him to Graceland, revealing to not only his new family but his love interest that he was abused. Their reaction is not one he expected but it changes his whole life and it gives him exactly what he needed, a safety net.

* * *

**My Safety Net**

Mike was living in bliss for the past three months. He felt safe for the first time in almost a year and he finally had a family he trusted and was starting to develop feelings for Briggs but Mike never acted on it because of his past, a past Graceland resident never knew about, until now. He should have known that Chris would find him eventually; he was skilled like that he just didn't think it would be this easy. Mike had just helped Johnny put away a drug dealer and so the team was out celebrating like they usually did when Mike was grabbed and he turned to face his worst nightmare.

"_You worthless piece of shit," he yelled out as he pounded his fists into Mike's body._

_Mike curled up in a ball trying to protect him but there was so much pain that he wanted to die. _

Standing in front of Mike was the man that made him feel worthless, broke him into a million pieces and treated him like dirt. He noticed that the team stood up having immediately noticed the guy's anger as well as Mike's fear.

"You spineless piece of shit. You thought you could run from me well you thought wrong and now it's time to go," Chris growled out grabbing Mike by the throat but after having been doing undercover work for the past three months Mike was able to duck and back away from Chris in fear.

Mike would have run had it not been for the solid body that he ran into. He froze and then turned to see Briggs giving him a knowing look before the taller man pulled Mike behind him as if to protect him from danger.

"I suggest you leave," Briggs warned and Mike knew that there was an underlying threat in the way he spoke.

"Oh I see now what's going on here. You decided to take the little pathetic piece of shit for yourself. Well let me give you a few pointers. He can't cook for shit, his cleaning is less than satisfactory, and when you try to have sex with him he fights you and yells out for you to stop, not that it really matters," Chris said laughing.

Mike couldn't deal with it anymore and just collapsed on the ground curling up. He knew he was causing a scene but Chris just told the team everything that happened to him and it made him relive the past again. Mike closed his eyes, crying as the memory of fists, blood, broken bones, and rape flashed before him. A commotion broke him out of his memories and Mike opened his eyes to see Briggs, Johnny, and DJ dragging Chris outside and Mike didn't know whether to be relieved or scared about that prospect. Paige crouched down next to him and he saw the pity in her eyes but he also saw anger, not at him but for him, and love. She hugged Mike to her and carefully helped him stand up. Mike didn't even look to see what others at the bar were saying just let Paige lead him out to the cars but she paused by them. Mike knew that she was wondering which one he wanted to go in and who he wanted to go with and in all honesty he didn't even know himself. Charlie came out a moment later with Mike's coat and put it around his shoulders like a mother would her kid. Mike knew that he should have told them to stop but it was like he couldn't speak.

Charlie saved Mike from having to think about the dilemma of the cars because she put him in the passenger seat of hers and then proceeded to drive back to the house with Paige waiting for the guys. Mike stared blankly into space as he tried to process what was happening. His worst fears had just come true because not only had his family found out what happened to him but now so had the man he was developing feelings for. The car stopped and when Mike saw the Graceland home something in him broke but he felt the trail sign of a panic attack coming on. He blitz from the car and ran into the house up to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Mike climbed into the shower curling up in it as he turned on the water. It was cold at first but then it warmed up, comforting Mike in a way. He knew that his clothes were now ruined but that didn't matter to him because this was the only thing that helped him at all. Mike laid his head on his knees and closed his eyes feeling completely drained. The door opened but Mike couldn't find it in him to care because that meant moving and he didn't know if he could do that.

Briggs felt for the young man in front of him who lay curled up in the shower with water pouring over him soaking him. He turned the water off and turned to grab a towel only to see that Charlie had followed him and was currently holding one. She was giving him a warning look, knowing that Briggs had feelings for the kid before them, and Briggs knew the momma bear in her had come out. The agent made a promise silently to the woman before turning back and slowly putting his arms under Mike's knees and shoulder's to pick him up. Mike finally moved but not in fear, in some form of comfort. The young agent opened his eyes and Briggs saw so many emotions in them. He saw fear, probably of what the team would now think, but he also saw love and he watched as Mike snuggled his head into Brigg's chest like he was a safety pillow of some kind and the older man knew in that instance that he would never allow anyone to hurt the kid ever again because he truly love him.

Briggs turned towards the door and Charlie and he moved towards Mike's bedroom. He set the young agent on the bed, holding him up as Charlie dried him off but the two of them carefully faced a dilemma with the fact that they needed to change Mike into dry clothes. Briggs moved to let go of Mike when the agent whimpered and gripped the older man tightly.

"Mike we need to change you into dry clothes sweetie. Do you want Briggs here for that?" Charlie asked and Briggs knew it wasn't to hurt him but to protect Mike.

"Yes," Mike whispered and if the two of them hadn't been trained they wouldn't have heard his answer.

Charlie gave Briggs another look telling him that he needed to stay but that he also needed to avoid looking when she was changing Mike because if he didn't she would kill him slowly. Briggs was almost surprised at the way she was acting but it seemed Mike had a way of bringing out the mama bear in not only Charlie but Paige as well, the indication of that being when Paige proceeded to beat the shit out of Chris. Learning the name of Mike's abuser had been easy since he kept screaming it like it was a defense. Paul, Johnny and DJ had taken turns beating the piece of pathetic scum to shit and then Paige had came upon them and the anger in here eyes almost scared them all. After all was said and done Chris now knew never to come near Mike again but Paige had then proceeded to cuss in about four different languages with Johnny following along while Briggs and DJ fumed in anger silently. Nobody messed with their family and got away with it. When they arrived back at Graceland they came to find Charlie pacing in the kitchen. The conversation was short and to the point, the way Briggs likes it.

"_Please tell me that you beat that piece of shits ass!" Charlie yelled in a whisper. _

"_Oh that and more," Paige growled out storming past to the fridge and proceeded to take out ingredients to make some food._

"_Where's Mike?" Briggs asked._

"_The whole drive he was almost catatonic Briggs which scared me but then when I pulled into Graceland he just ran out of the car and came into here. He locked himself in the bathroom and hasn't come out for the last fifteen minutes. I heard the water turn on but I'm afraid for him Briggs," Charlie admitted in a sigh as she finally stopped pacing. _

_Briggs said nothing as he walked past them and went over to the bathroom. He came upon the bathroom door and took out the kit that he always kept on him, proceeding to pick the lock and come upon a sight that broke his heart. _

Mike was finally changed after a little bit of struggling on everyone's part. The young agent was shaking despite being in sweats and a long sleeve shirt as well as the fact he was in Briggs' arms. In all honesty Briggs was worried but knew if he showed it he might scare the agent in his arms.

"Come on Mike you need to sleep," Briggs said seeing the kid fighting sleep but when Briggs spoke he shook his head.

"I can't sleep. If I do he'll come back for me," Mike said in fear trying to stand up but he was so weak and in shock that he fell back down into Briggs arms.

"I'll stay and make sure he won't," Briggs said out of no where surprising himself but found he wasn't against the idea. It seemed the kid had more of an effect on him than he originally thought.

Mike didn't say anything and Briggs looked down to see him slumped on his shoulder. Briggs sighed and struggled out of his boots until finally they were off. He picked the blond up like he weighed nothing and lay down on the bed with Mike curled up in his arms. Charlie glared at him and Briggs again knew that he was being warned to be careful and the agent just looked right back at the female. It annoyed Briggs a little that she thought he could hurt Mike, especially when he was already feeling something for the kid, but at the same time he tried not to be too annoyed with Charlie because he knew that with what was just found out that she was just being protective. After Charlie had left Briggs settled down and ran his hand through Mike's hair hoping it would help calm him down and it seemed to do the trick because the whimpering stopped. Briggs stayed awake the whole night watching over Mike and knew that everything between them had changed. He swore silently that he would make sure that no one would hurt Mike again because the kid deserved better than the pain and suffering he had been through.


End file.
